On Books and Reading

I love to read. I love cuddling up with a good book on a snowy day, going to a local coffee shop and getting lost in a story, and I especially love going to a book store and finding the perfect book that screams, “read me!”

I was that girl in your high school that you always saw reading. I love books. I love the idea of getting lost in someone’s words, ideas, and narrative. When I tell people that I love to read they always ask me what I like. Well, to be honest, I’m sorry to be vague, but I like to read a variety of topics.

A boss once told me, “Read everything. No matter what it is, read it. You can learn at least one thing from it.” And so, that’s what I do. I read everything. I read history, fiction, non fiction, biographies, essays, poetry, psychology books, novels, short stories, etc! You get my drift. I love to read, and no, I don’t loveeverything I read. But as my boss once said, I do at least learn one thing from it.

I have a kindle that I totally love! But I’m still a fan of purchasing hard cover books. It’s been said time and time again, but it’s difficult to replace the feeling of a book in your hands and turning the pages.

There are some books that I just love. I find myself revisiting them at different points in my life and I feel that I walk away with a different feeling, perspective, or idea than I did the first time I read it. Here are 5 that I would recommend. They are all different topics, but I found to really learn something and get inspiration from each of them.

****

The Alchemist

Let me begin by saying that the author, Paulo Coelho, is a genius. I’ve read this book dozens of times and every time it “speaks” to me. The amount of wisdom and inspiration from this short piece of fiction is mind-blowing. A must read. PLUS, almost every sentence in this book is a quote to live by.

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

****

Gunn’s Golden Rules

Written by Tim Gunn from Project Runway. This man is the epitome of class. He is polished, polite, intelligent, eloquent and funny! This book is an easy and fun read. His humor really comes through his writing and you find yourself admiring him so much more.

“I believe that treating other people well is a lost art.”

****

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The first time I read this book I was 15. It blew my mind when I first read it and I still come back to it time and time again. You find yourself lost in the story. And I still love the peculiar layout. I know my love for it at this point may be partially nostalgia, but you should give it a try. Especially those who were raised in the 90’s it really hits home. The movie recently came out, but as we all know, the book is always better than the movie.

“Things change. And friends leave but life doesn’t stop for anybody.”

****

The Five Love Languages

This book is considered a self-help relationship book. It’s been out for many years! One of my friends gave me a copy and after reading it I felt like I learned so much of myself (and my husband!). I’m a firm believer in investing time and energy into finding out who you are to become a better person in your relationship.

“Love is a choice you make everyday.”

****

Tuesdays with Morrie

Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t care how tough you are, this book will make you ball your eyes out. This is such a beautiful story of a student and his Professor. It’s not romantic at all, it’s an inspiring and beautiful story of friendship. I highly recommend it. It’s not very long, easy to read, and very well written.

“I give myself a good cry if I need it, but then I concentrate on all good things still in my life.”

Let us know if you’ve read any of them and what you thought! We love hearing from our readers.